Yet what no one expected was that Su Mo faced Black Wind Stockade and sent all the stockade men who had come down the mountain packing with nothing more than a little Gray Rabbit.
The result left the villagers incredulous.
After all, it was Black Wind Stockade. Martial Artist Li Xian had once been beaten bloody by them and fled back with grave injuries. The stockade men who came down the mountain were especially vicious. Unless they had snatched every last bit of game from your home, they would hardly leave willingly.
Everyone knew that the stockade men had seized an entire Plum Deer from Zhang Tieshan's home.
So how had Su Mo managed to send them away with just a few little wild rabbits?
In fact, when the Black Wind Stockade men first showed up at Su Mo's door, they had been swaggering and arrogant, intent on forcibly taking all the game he had caught. But the moment they saw Su Mo, their legs began trembling uncontrollably and their bodies started shaking, as though they were facing some dreadful monster. A fear unlike anything they had ever known filled their hearts.
That was why they had hurried off after taking just one wild rabbit.
They had even declared that Su Mo had earned his game through his own skill, so it belonged to him.
They never mentioned sending one of their Major Leaders down from the stockade to deal with Su Mo.
To put it plainly, those stockade men were bullies who preyed on the weak. They weren't stupid enough to pick a fight with a fearsome man like Su Mo and make things worse.
Su Mo, for his part, didn't want to reveal his strength and bring himself into conflict with the leaders of Black Wind Stockade too soon. That was why he had let the trembling stockade men take a wild rabbit and go. Otherwise, none of them would have made it off the mountain that day.
Su Mo's name soon rang throughout Shuanglin Village.
It was all because the Black Wind Stockade men were powerless against him.
Uncle Chen Shan, who lived next door, had been worried about this for a long time. He had even resolved that if the stockade men dared to cause trouble, he would fight them to the death. Only after seeing them slink away did he finally feel at ease.
The villagers of Shuanglin Village all had their own thoughts about it, but they agreed that Su Mo was sure to make something of himself.
After all, even the Black Wind Stockade men were afraid of him.
At the Zhang family home in the village,
"Dad, Su Mo's really something these days. He goes into the mountains and always comes back with game. Even when the Black Wind Stockade men came into the village and went to his house, they could only slink away. They didn't even dare touch his game, let alone take it. That's incredible."
"Your dad knew Su Mo was something special when he was little. He'll go far. When you have time, go ask him to teach you how to hunt. Among the young people around here, Su Mo's the best hunter. Li Goudan and Chen Mazi can't compare to your Su Mo-ge."
"That's right, son. You can't go wrong learning from your Su Mo-ge."
In the courtyard, the Zhang family was talking about Su Mo, who had lately become the talk of the village. When Su Mo had seen how hard up their family was, he had brought them a Green Wolf in the middle of a snowstorm, giving them meat to get through the winter.
The Zhang family was deeply grateful to Su Mo.
Even Zhang Hai, who was usually so proud, couldn't help calling him Su Mo-ge whenever he talked about him. It showed just how much he respected Su Mo. And Su Mo's bold stance against the Black Wind Stockade men had impressed Zhang Hai even more.
Everyone knew how badly those stockade men had bullied their family. They had not only taken their Plum Deer meat for the winter, but had also tried to abduct his younger sister, Zhang Qian, and take her up the mountain.
So Zhang Hai and the others were terrified of the Black Wind Stockade men.
But Su Mo-ge had stood his ground without the slightest hesitation.
Zhang Hai admired him immensely. Even young men in the village like Li Goudan and Chen Mazi gave Su Mo a thumbs-up whenever he came up, praising how impressive he was.
There was no helping it. Su Mo was the first person to stand up to the Black Wind Stockade men and come away without a scratch.
So the Zhang family all thought Su Mo was extraordinary. Zhang Tieshan, in particular, felt that Su Mo's future was boundless.
Even Liu Guihua, who was usually so calculating, thought Su Mo was a fine young man—for once.
She had even started thinking of arranging a marriage between him and Qian'er.
Su Mo could now provide for Qian'er, and she wouldn't be bullied if she married him. After all, even the Black Wind Stockade men were afraid of him.
"Husband, why not promise Qian'er to Su Mo? She'll turn sixteen after the new year. It's time she found a suitable family."
Su Mo's character and conduct had won Liu Guihua's wholehearted approval.
At her words, the hand holding Zhang Tieshan's pipe paused ever so slightly. Then he nodded. He thought it was a good match. He had had the same idea before, but his wife had refused to hear of it.
Now that she agreed, it wasn't too late.
Zhang Hai, sitting nearby, thought it was a good idea too. If his younger sister Zhang Qian married Su Mo-ge, she would surely live well.
The whole Zhang family supported arranging a marriage between Zhang Qian and Su Mo.
But just then, a clear voice rang out.
"Mother, I won't agree!"
Zhang Qian, who had been silent the whole time, finally spoke. She outright rejected the idea.
Zhang Qian was almost sixteen, and her figure had begun to blossom. She was tall and graceful, with a lovely, pretty face and fair, delicate skin. She looked nothing like an ordinary mountain girl. If she changed out of the patched floral jacket she wore, she could easily pass for someone from the city.
Zhang Qian really was tall and willowy.
She was grateful to Su Mo, of course, but gratitude was not the same as love. She liked Martial Artists—powerful Martial Artists.
"Qian'er, Su Mo's such a good hunter. You'd never have to worry about going hungry if you married him."
Her mother, Liu Guihua, tried to persuade her. These days, Su Mo was the most outstanding young man in the villages for miles around. He was tall and handsome, and he was a highly skilled hunter. Even Liu Guihua, whose standards were usually so exacting, thought Su Mo was more than worthy of her daughter.
She just couldn't understand why her daughter disagreed.
Zhang Tieshan and Zhang Hai wanted to persuade Zhang Qian too, but then she said, "Yes, Su Mo is a very good hunter, and even the Black Wind Stockade men are afraid of him. But no matter how good he is, he's still just a hunter, just a hunter from Qingliang Mountain."
"No matter how good he is, can he compare to a Martial Artist? Can he? He's not even as good as Li Xian was before, is he?"
At those words, Zhang Tieshan and the others fell silent.
Even Liu Guihua didn't know what to say. It was true: Su Mo was impressive, but could he really compare to a Martial Artist? Clearly, he couldn't!
Although Li Xian had failed to wipe out Black Wind Stockade this time and had been badly wounded before escaping, anyone with sense knew that it wasn't because Li Xian was weak. It was because Black Wind Stockade was terrifying.
What's more, Li Xian was not only a Martial Artist. They said he was also a disciple of some major sect in Anyuan County Town, with a powerful background—nothing like Su Mo, who couldn't begin to compare.
"Ugh! Do you think you're destined to marry a Martial Artist?"
Zhang Tieshan, who was smoking his pipe, rarely lost his temper. In his eyes, Su Mo was a fine young man, but his daughter Zhang Qian insisted on marrying a Martial Artist. Did she really think she was destined for one? Would some lofty Martial Artist ever take an interest in her?
Zhang Hai didn't dare say a word. Clearly, his father was furious, which meant he was truly angry about the matter.
"Qian'er, you could at least give Su Mo some consideration..."
Seeing this, Liu Guihua tried to persuade her daughter Zhang Qian again.
"No. Whether or not I'm destined to marry a Martial Artist in this life, I will never marry a hunter."
Zhang Qian's voice rang out, resolute and unyielding. She would never marry a hunter. She would only be a Martial Artist's woman.
Only a powerful Martial Artist could make her feel safe.
"Forget it! I'm done interfering in your marriage!"
Zhang Tieshan cursed angrily as he smoked his pipe and turned to leave the house. His daughter was too stubborn. Maybe she thought marrying a Martial Artist would be wonderful, but as her father, he still felt Su Mo was the most reliable choice—without question.
Liu Guihua sighed.
As her older brother, Zhang Hai knew he couldn't change his stubborn younger sister Zhang Qian's mind. He could only practice archery alone in the courtyard. He agreed with his father: a Martial Artist was impressive, but that didn't mean one would be as suitable as Su Mo-ge.
Seeing that no one in her family supported her decision—not even her brother, who had always doted on her—Zhang Qian went straight back to her room.
Before she went in, she said one thing:
"No matter how good Su Mo is, he'll never compare to a Martial Artist!"
Zhang Tieshan, who had just walked out of the courtyard gate, was furious at those words. When their Plum Deer meat had been stolen that winter, if Su Mo hadn't brought them a whole Green Wolf in the snow, would she even have the strength to say that?
Seeing how angry her husband was, Liu Guihua could only hold him back, afraid Zhang Tieshan would make himself ill.
What a fine young man Su Mo was...
Even the picky Liu Guihua thought so.
Before you continue